Folding gooseneck trailer

ABSTRACT

An industrial trailer having a collapsible gooseneck is disclosed. A loadbed of the trailer is raised or lowered by main hydraulic cylinders. Secondary hydraulic cylinders operate the gooseneck.

United States Patent [1 1 Verschage et al.

FOLDING GOOSENECK TRAILER Oreg. Assignee: llyster Company, Portland,Oreg.

Filed: June 2, 1972 Appl. No.: 259,223

US. Cl. 214/506, 280/423 B Int. Cl B60p 1/04 Field of Search 214/505,506, 423 B, 214/425 A Sept. 4, 1973 Primary Examiner-Albert J. MakayAttorney-Francis Swanson [5 7 ABSTRACT An industrial trailer having acollapsible gooseneck is disclosed. A loadbed of the trailer is raisedor lowered by main hydraulic cylinders. Secondary hydraulic cylindersoperate the gooseneck.

8 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTEDSEP 4 ms SHEU 1 0F 3 PATENTEnszr 4m:3756L443 SHEEI 2 0F 3 PLATFORM LEVELING VALVE RIGHT i LEEZT use L FLOATUP UP GOOSENECK PLATFORM DOWN DOWN l5 EMS-7 PATENTEDSEP 4 I975 sum 3 0F3 FIG. 4

FOLDING GOOSENECK TRAILER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of theInvention The present invention relates to heavy duty industrialtrailers and more particularly to those which have collapsiblegoosenecks to facilitate loading and unloading.

2. Description of the Prior Art Conventional heavy duty industrialtrailers usually consist of a low bed with multiple wheels at the rear,and a fixed gooseneck at the front which engages the fifth wheel of atractor. To facilitate easy loading, trailcrs with folding gooseneckshave been developed. These are either mechanical or fluid operated.Mechanical versions usually employ cables to lift the gooseneck. Atypical illustration is disclosed in US. Pat. No. 2,605,916 to Martin. Ahydraulic version is shown in U.S. Pat. 2,441,710 to Martin.

Mechanical versions are generally slow and require a winch and cable orsimilar device mounted on the tractor. Hydraulic versions generallycomprise a retractable pedestal to hold the platform level with theground. The gooseneck folds'down to form an inclined ramp to load thehorizontal bed. These trailers are often difficult to load or unload onsloping or uneven ground. The folded gooseneck often presents a steepramp which must be negotiated when loading. Locking pins must be used tokeep the gooseneck upright as the tractor tows the trailer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention overcomes the aboveproblems by providing a bed which may be lowered to the ground and liesflat. The trailer has a plurality of ground engaging pads, each of whichis independently adjustable. These allow the bed to be adjusted onuneven terrain. A hydraulic system for operating the gooseneckindependently of the bed is provided within the trailer.

The primary objects of the invention are to provide:

l. A trailer wherein the load supporting bed may be hydraulicallylowered to the ground and adjusted to compensate for rough or slopingsurfaces.

2. A folding gooseneck which may be operated completely independent ofthe bed supporting means and which will lie flat on the ground.

3. A folding gooseneck which eliminates the need for locking pins tokeep it in the erect position.

A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other objects and advantagesrelating to the invention will become evident from the followingdetailed description which proceeds with reference to the drawingswherein:

FIG. I shows a trailer equipped with the invention, detached from thetractor and with the gooseneck erected and the ground support padslowered.

FIG. 2 shows the gooseneck lowered and the trailer ready for loading orunloading.

FIGS. 3a, 3b, and 3c are taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 3a is an elevational view, partially broken away, showing thearrangement of the gooseneck members and associated fluid cylinders.

FIG. 3b shows the bed lowered to the ground, but the gooseneck stillerect. The figure is broken away to show the cylinder relation.

FIG. 30 shows the relation of the gooseneck and cylinders when thegooseneck is collapsed.

FIG. 4 shows the schematic of the fluid system of the trailer.

FIG. 5 is taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 1 and is a front view of thetrailer with the pads down and the gooseneck erect.

FIG. 6 shows the operating instruction plate for the bed levelingcontrol valve.

FIG. 7 shows the operating instruction plate for the gooseneck and bedcontrol valve.

The trailer as illustrated in FIG. 1 consists of a load supportplatform, hereafter referred to as the bed 1 having a plurality ofwheeled axles 3 at its rear and a folding gooseneck at its forward end.The gooseneck comprises a horizontal hitch platform 5, a pair of tensionlinks 7 and a compression link 9. The compression link 9 when in acollapsed position also forms a part of the loading and unloadingsurface. The tension links 7 are pivotably attached to the hitchplatform 5 by link pins 11 and to the forward end of the bed by linkpins 13. The compression link is likewise pivotably connected to thehitch platform with link pins 15 and to the bed by link pins 17. A pairof ground engaging pads 19 each having a cylinder mounting plate 21along its longitudinal center line are operatively connected to theforward end of bed 1 by a pair of pad links 23. The pad links 23 arepivotably connected at one end to bed I by pin links 13. Each pad 19 hasa pair of vertically disposed plates 25 at its rear adapted to receivethe other end of pad links 23 which is pivotably attached to the plates25 by pin 27. A pair of hydraulic bed-lifting cylinders 29 and 30 arepivotably connected first to a pair of ears 31 mounted on the hitchplatform 5 forwardly of link pin 15 and secondly to pads 19 at plate 21with pins 33. A pair of gooseneck lifting and lowering cylinders 35 areinterposed between the bed 1 and the compression link 9. The upper endsof the gooseneck cylinders 35 are pivotally attached to ears 37 oncompression link 9. The lower ends of cylinders 35 are pivotallyconnected to the ears 39 near the forward end of bed 1. Gooseneckcylinder hydraulic hoses 41 and bed cylinder hoses 43 are operativelyconnected to a control valve 45 mounted on bed 1. This is a conventionalspool valve having two spools operated by two levers. The first spool'47 controls the bed lifting and lowering cylinders 29 and 30. Itscontrol lever 48 has four positions: bed-up, bed-down, neutral andfloat. A second spool 49 controls the gooseneck cylinders. Its controllever 50 has three positions: up, down, neutral. The gooseneck can notbe raised or lowered with'the bed cylinders 29 and 30. A bed adjustingvalve 51 containing spool 52 is connected to valve 45 and willselectively activate either bed cylinder 29 or 30 to compensate forsloping or uneven terrain. Valves 45 and 51 together with the trailerhydraulic circuit will be discussed in greater detail below. The valves45 and 51 are connected via hoses 53 to a power pack 55 for providinghydraulic pressure and flow mounted within the bed 1 of the trailer. Thepack is of conventional design, the details of which form no part ofthis application. Inlieu of a self-contained power source hydraulicfluid or air to operate the gooseneck may be supplied from the tractor(not shown).

The operative relationship of the gooseneck parts and hydraulic systemof the trailer can best be understood with reference to FIG. 4 of thedrawings. While the schematic illustrated is hydraulic, it is clear thatair or a combination of air and hydraulics could be satisfactorily used.

The pump 57 draws oil from the sump 59 through filter 61 and sends it tovalve 45 via line 63. With valve spools 47 and 49 in the neutralposition N" the oil passes over center and returns to sump 59. When bedcontrol spool 47 is in the L, position line 63 is blocked and the oilforces open check valve 65 contained within the body of valve 45. Amanually adjustable pressure relief valve 66 is also contained withinthe body of valve 45. The oil passes into line 67, through spool 47 intoline 69 and is routed to the retract side R" of bed cylinders 29 and 30.This lowers the bed to the ground. The oil exhausted from side E" ofcylinders 29 and 30 passes through valve 51 into line 71 and is routedby spool 47 through line 73 to line 78 where it returns to sump 59.

When spool 47 is in the R position, oil passes from line 67 into line71, through valve 51 to the extend side E of bed cylinders 29 and 30.This raises the bed. Exhausted oil from side R of bed cylinder 29 and 30enters line 43 and is directed by spool 47 into line 73 to line 78 whereit returns to sump 59.

The bed I may be adjusted relative to the ground with valve 51. Withspool 47 of valve 45 in the R position, shifting spool 52 of valve 51 toposition A directs oil to side E of cylinder 30 causing it to extend andraise the bed on one side relative to cylinder 29. Placing spool 52 ofvalve 51 into position B acts in the same manner on cylinder 29. Ineither position A or B exhausted oil passes through line 69, is routedby spool 47 into line 73 and from there to sump 59 through line 78. Withspool 52 of valve 51 in the center position the bed cylinders 29 and 20will extend simultaneously to raise the bed 1.

When the spool 47 of valve 45 is in the F" position pressurized oil fromthe pump 57 is allowed to pass over center and return to sump 59 in afree circuit. Both E and R ends of bed cylinders 29 and 30 are routed tosump 59 to provide free travel of cylinders 29 and 30 when the bed 1 isresting on the ground. This feature allows the bed cylinders 29 and 30to extend or retract freely when spool 49 is actuated and gooseneckcylinders 35 are extended or retracted.

The operation of the gooseneck is wholly independent of the bed 1 and iscontrolled by spool 49. With spool valve 49 in the L, position, oil isrouted into line 77 to the retract side R of the gooseneck cylinders 35.This causes the gooseneck to fold down and form a ramp over which heavyequipment or other loads may be conveniently placed on bed 1. Exhaustedoil from cylinders 35 passes through spool 49 into line 78 and on tosump 59. Relief valve 79 is placed in system to protect cylinders fromover-pressurizing when spool 49 is in neutral position and provides areturn to sump 59 through line 78.

With spool 49 in the R, position, oil is routed into lines 75 to thegooseneck cylinders 35 on the extend side E which causes the gooseneckto move into the upright position used for towing. When the gooseneck iserect and the trailer ready to be moved, gooseneck cylinders 35 areextended and spools 47 and 49 are in neutral position N. Line 75 is thusblocked and the gooseneck is held firmly upright by the pressurizedcylinders 35 without the need for locking pins.

OPERATION In operation the trailer is towed to the site of loading orunloading. The driver starts the power pack 55, then lowers the groundengaging pads 19 to the earth by positioning lever 48 in the bed-upposition (spool 47 will be in the R position). The trailer is now selfsupporting and the tractor may be disengaged from the trailer and drivenaway. After disengagement the lever 48 is moved to the bed-down position(L, position of spool valve 47), and the bed lowers to the ground withthe gooseneck still raised. Lever 48 is now moved to the floatposition." (Spool 47 in position F) and lever 50 is moved to the downposition. This lowers the gooseneck to the ground and the trailer isready for loading and unloading.

After the job is completed and the trailer is to be moved away, theabove sequence of steps is simply reversed.

It is to be understood that while the preferred embodiment of theinvention has been illustrated, numerous modifications and variationsmay be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventionwhich is defined in the following claims.

We claim:

1. An industrial trailer including a load carrying bed;

ground engaging wheels mounted at one end of the bed;

a selectively erectable or collapsible gooseneck including a hitchplatform mounted at the other end of the bed;

first fluid means interposed between the hitch platform and the groundfor lowering the bed to the ground;

separate fluid means independent of the first fluid means forselectively erecting or collapsing the gooseneck;

and a first link pivotally connected to the hitch platform and to thebed; a pair of second links pivotally connected to the hitch platformand to the bed forwardly of the first link; control means on the bed forcontrolling the first and second fluid means; and a self contained fluidpower supply mounted on the bed operatively connected to the controlmeans.

2. An industrial trailer having an elongate load carrying bed, aplurality of ground engaging wheels mounted at one end and a gooseneckmounted at the other end of the bed, the gooseneck including a firstlink pivotally connected to the bed and to a hitch platform;

a second link pivotally connected to the bed and to the hitch platform;

a ground engaging pad pivotally connected to the bed;

first fluid means interposed between the hitch platform and the pad forlowering the bed to the ground;

and second fluid means interposed between the first link and the bed forselectively raising or lowering the gooseneck independently of the firstfluid means when the bed is on the ground.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the first fluid means includesa pair of hydraulic cylinders interposed between the hitch platform andthe ground.

4. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the second fluid meansincludes a pair of hydraulic cylinders interposed between the hitchplatform and the bed;

and fluid control means whereby erection of the gooseneck by thecylinders locks the gooseneck in the towing mode.

5. An industrial trailer comprising:

a horizontal load carrying bed;

ground engaging wheels mounted at the rear of the bed;

a gooseneck mounted at the forward end of the bed;

the gooseneck including a first link pivotally connected at one end tothe bed and pivotally connected at the other end to a hitch platform;

a second link pivotally connected to the bed and to the hitch platformforwardly of the first link;

a pair of ground engaging pads including forwardly extending pad linkspivotally connected to the bed;

a fluid cylinder on each side of the trailer interposed between the padsand the hitch platform for lowering the bed to the ground;

a second cylinder independent of the bed lowering cylinders interposedbetween the first link and the bed for selectively erecting or loweringthe gooseneck;

and cylinder control means mounted on the bed.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the control means includesmeans for selectively pressurizing either of the bed lowering cylinders;

7. Apparatus according toclaim 6 wherein the control means includesfirst valve means for directing fluid to the extend or retract side ofthe bed cylinders;

and further means for selectively extending either bed cylinder so as toadjust the bed relative to the ground.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the first valve means includesa valve position for directing oil exhausted from the bed cylinders backto the extend side of one of the bed cylinders when the bed is adjustedrelative to the ground.

1. An industrial trailer including a load carrying bed; ground engagingwheels mounted at one end of the bed; a selectively erectable orcollapsible gooseneck including a hitch platform mounted at the otherend of the bed; first fluid means interposed between the hitch platformand the ground for lowering the bed to the ground; separate fluid meansindependent of the first fluid means for selectively erecting orcollapsing the gooseneck; and a first link pivotally connected to thehitch platform and to the bed; a pair of second links pivotallyconnected to the hitch platform and to the bed forwardly of the firstlink; control means on the bed for controlling the first and secondfluid means; and a self contained fluid power supply mounted on the bedoperatively connected to the control means.
 2. An industrial trailerhaving an elongate load carrying bed, a plurality of ground engagingwheels mounted at one end and a gooseneck mounted at the other end ofthe bed, the gooseneck including a first link pivotally connected to thebed and to a hitch platform; a second link pivotally connected to thebed and to the hitch platform; a ground engaging pad pivotally connectedto the bed; first fluid means interposed between the hitch platform andthe pad for lowering the bed to the ground; and second fluid meansinterposed between the first link and the bed for selectively raising orlowering the gooseneck independently of the first fluid means when thebed is on the ground.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein thefirst fluid means includes a pair of hydraulic cylinders interposedbetween the hitch platform and the ground.
 4. Apparatus according toclaim 2 wherein the second fluid means includes a pair of hydrauliccylinders interposed between the hitch platform and the bed; and fluidcontrol means whereby erection of the gooseneck by the cylinders locksthe gooseneck in the towing mode.
 5. An industrial trailer comprising: ahorizontal load carrying bed; ground engaging wheels mounted at the rearof the bed; a gooseneck mounted at the forward end of the bed; thegooseneck including a first link pivotally connected at one end to thebed and pivotally connected at the other end to a hitch platform; asecond link pivotally connected to the bed and to the hitch platformforwardly of the first link; a pair of ground engaging pads includingforwardly extending pad links pivotally connected to the bed; a fluidcylinder on each side of the trailer interposed between the pads and thehitch platform for lowering the bed to the ground; a second cylinderindependent of the bed lowering cylinders interposed between the firstlink and the bed for selectively erecting or lowering the gooseneck; andcylinder control means mounted on the bed.
 6. Apparatus according toclaim 5 wherein the control means includes means for selectivelypressurizing either of the bed lowering cylinders.
 7. Apparatusaccording to claim 6 wherein the control means includes first valvemeans for directing fluid to the extend or retract side of the bedcylinders; and further means for selectively extending either bedcylinder so as to adjust the bed relative to the ground.
 8. Apparatusaccording to claim 7 wherein the first valve means includes a valveposition for directing oil exhausted from the bed cylinders back to theextend side of one of the bed cylinders when the bed is adjustedrelative to the ground.